Radio France International (RFI) Hausa Nigeria, has upgraded its operation space with balanced representation of Nigeria, and ease of business for its staff, as major priorities.
Upgrade include relocation to a new space in Victoria Island, Lagos; investment in latest generation technology – including computers, microphones, and redrafting of staff contracts to fit the present economic realities.
With the latest technological investment, RFI Hausa staff are connected with the RFI media in Paris (France), Fulfulde (Dakar, Senegal), Mandiko, KiSwahili (Nairobi, Kenya) in Africa, and eleven other RFI languages stations globally.
Staff also have access to overnight rooms and a kitchen in the new office space to guarantee security, and comfort when work shifts or the traffic challenges of Lagos demands it. In addition to the redrafting of staff salaries and benefits.
“Our technological investment here is similar to what we have in our main office in France. It is modern and last generation technology. The computers are linked to system in Paris, so our Lagos team can share information with Paris, and the other 15 languages stations we broadcast across the world, and vice versa.
“It gives them the opportunity to cover international and local news efficiently, and package international news with the aid of translation. Social issues and contracts were remade. Staff are paid in Euros, and we have an official subsidiary, that is France Media Monde now in Nigeria,” said RFI DG, Jean Marc.
Currently, RFI broadcasts in 16 languages including four African languages, with its Hausa news service based in Lagos, Nigeria.
The choice of broadcasting in Hausa language in Nigeria is to reach its Hausa speaking audience in francophone countries in northern Nigeria, southern Cameroon, and Niger Republic. Marc, however noted that the outcome of its recent investment in RFI Hausa will determine its expansion to other languages.
Moreover, France’s new cultural ties with Africa, and economic relations with Nigeria, he said, is driving RFI’s interest to provide balanced perspective of Nigeria to French citizens.
“As everyone knows, relations between France and former French colonies in Africa is very difficult, unlike with Nigeria, Kenya and other anglophone countries with whom it has no past barriers.
“It is very interesting to develop our news stories for the French people so that we can exchange ideas without past barriers that forbids us to move forward. Nigeria has a vibrant culture, when it comes to music movies etc. That is what we have to explain to the French people. Hopefully, we will be able to do that in the coming years,” concluded Marc.
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